The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-12-06
HOUSE.

LODS DeIo's NOON the gallery or tht
House was crowded to the utmost c.
pacity with spectators drawn together
to witness the opening scenes of the new
Congress. Ladies were in the ma Ority
and their gay costumes lent an air oil
| animation to the chamber. Or the ti0ol
members cOngregated and exchanged
greetings and congratulations. There
were very few floral decorations upon
the desks of members. The clerk pro-
ceeded with the roll call.
The WORK of organizing the House
then proceeded. On the eau of the roll
313 members answered to their names,
and the clerk announced that more
than a quorum being present, the next
business in order was the election
Of Speaker. John G. Carlisle
was put in nomination by Cox,
of New York, and Thomas B. Reed
by Cannon, of Illinois. The vote re =
suited, Carlisle 1853, Reed 148 Brumm
(PennsylVania) 2. OF four Indepen
dents, Anderson, of Iowa, voted for
| Carlisle. Nichols, of North Carolina
Hopkins, of Virginia, did not vote. The
clerk theIeupon declared Carlisle duly
| elected, and the gentleman was escorted
TO the Speakers desk by Cox and Reed
amid loud applause. The oath OF office
having been administered by Kelly, OF
Pennsylvania, the Speaker raped the
House to orde- an said:
Gentlemen of the House Of Representa-
ti9eS::
In assuming for the third time
the duties of the Iaborious and res
ponsible Office fer which you have
1h u
nay grateful thanks for the distinguished
favor conferred, and assure you that it
will be my constant endeaver to Justify
the confidence reposed in me by fair
and impartial adminlstrat ton of the
law governing your proceedings.
= There. scarcely eYer has been
time in our history when the con-
tinued prosperity of the country de
pended so largely upon legislation in
Congress as now. Whatever is done
must De done here, and if nothing is
done, the responsibility must rest here.
1t must be evident to every one who
has taken even partial survey of public
affairs, that the time has ow come when
revision of the revenue laws and re-
duction Of taxation are absolutely
necessary, in order to prevent the large
and dangerous accumulation of money
in The treasury. The financial condl-
ton of the government and the private
business of the people, alike demand
prompt consideration Of these subjects,
and speedy enactment Of some sub
stantial measure of relief. Unfortu
nately, we are menaced by dangers
from opposite directions, while policy
of non-action must inevitably result
sooner or later. in serious injury to the
Wn no nY1TnIn6fnI nf
the fact that hasty and inconsiderate
legislation on subjects, more or less
affecting large, financial and indus
trial interests, might produce, tenn
porarily, at least, disturbance and en-
barrassments which a more prudent
course would entirely avoid. The in
Vestments made and labor en-
ployed in numerous and valuable in
dustries which have grown up under
our present system of taxation, ought
not to be rudely disturbed by sudden
and radical changes in the policy to
which they have adjusted themselves,
but the just demands of an overtaxed
people aud the obvious requirements of
our financial situation cannot be
entirely ignored, without seriously i'm
periling much greater and more widely
extended interests than any that
could possibly be iniuriousiy at
fected By a moderate and rea-
sonaols reduction of the duties.
No part of our people are more i'm
continuance of financial prosperity
than those who labor for wages. Upon
them and their families must always
fall the most disastrous consequence
of monetary crisis, and they, too, are
always last TO realize the benefit OF a
return to prosperous condition.
Their wages are always the first to fail
when a crisis comes, and the last to
rise when it passes away. Our efforts
should be to afford the Necessary relief
to all, without injury to the interests of
any; and, therefore. that course of legls-
Iation should be pursued which will
guarantee the laborlng peopl7 # The
country against the ,paraivzing effects
of general and prolonged financial
depression, and at the same time not
TO interfere with their steady employ
ment, nor deprive them OF any part Of
the just rewards of their toll. If this
can be done, and believe it can If our
deliberations are conducted with the
wisdom and patriotism which the grav-
ity of the situation demands,
this sCongress will have cause to con-
gratulate itself on the achievement
which promises peace and prosperity to
the country for many years to come.
These remarks may be con
sidered somewhat out of the
usual course, and perhaps not
entirely pertinent to the question but
believe you Will excuse them, gentle
men, because they relate 10 subjects
which, as We assemble here to-day, are
lppermOst in the minds of all people.
On the correc; solution Of tbs ques-
tons which III SO subjects necessarily
involve may depend the fate rot only
of political parties, but, what is far more
important. the permanent welfare Of
the greatest and most enlightened con
stitution in the world. Again l thank
you, gent me I, fer the con picu, us